And The Rest Was History
by kittyreilly
Summary: "The boy, only a year older than Hershel, puffed on the end of his cigarette - 'I'm Paul' he said, with a sinister smile, 'Tell me your name'" A one-shot about the young Professor's first meeting with Don Paolo and Claire! *Rated T for minor bad language*


**A/N: Hiya, peoples! I hope you like this story, and I hope you review it :) It's just a little story about how Layton met Don Paolo and Claire, which, quite weirdly, came to me during P.E last week XD**

**Dedications for this story:  
>macchi-chan<br>kwednesday  
>ktkittenbubbles<strong>

**All very awesome people! :D Please check them and their fanfics out! :) **

**Also, please follow my Twitter (BetsyFriday, as usual, is the name XD) - I like to think I say **_**some **_**interesting things **_**some **_**of the time :P**

**...And The Rest Was History**

Had it been rainy or windy, Hershel Layton would not have been sat outside on that day, he probably would have stayed in the classroom, and his day would have gone on as all the others did. Unfortunatley, that day was not rainy, nor was it windy - in fact, weather-wise, it was a perfect day...a perfect day to study alone on the fields.

And it was on this perfect day that would change his future forever - when he met the boy who would become his arch enemy.

Neither of them knew it yet - Hershel didn't know of the pain this boy would cause him and those around him in the future, and the boy didn't know the hatred he would feel towards Layton, but today was how it all started.

Sat underneath a tree on the school fields, Hershel had expected to be undisturbed when studying - that's how it had always been. Although, on this day, the first warm day for months, the 11th Year P.E class would be taught outdoors for a change.

As he saw an army of boys, the tough ones at the front of the line and the weak ones at the back, marching onto the field, he sunk his head down, trying not to draw attention to himself. He was constantly hounded by most of the 11th Years on account of him being the only person in the school to have skipped a year, so this supposedly peaceful hour was one where he could get on with his Level 8 Physics revision in privacy! Not that things usually went to plan for Hershel Layton, that is. It was at this moment that he noticed a boy, tall and of medium build with short black hair, running towards him. He was wearing one of the P.E uniforms and had obviously skipped class.

"That's all the excercise I'll be doing, thanks." he said to Layton, jokingly. He leaned up against the tree where Layton was sat and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from the pocket of his shorts. "Want one?" he asked him, offering the pack. Layton shook his head.

"No, thank you." he said, keeping his focus on his Physics textbook, "But it was nice of you to offer."

The boy sniggered, amused by Hershel's impecible manners. He was still attempting not to draw attention to himself, after all...

"Who are you?" asked the boy, lighting a cigarette and slipping the pack back into his pocket. Layton offered his hand as a greeting.

"I'm Hershel Layton." he declared.

The boy laughed. "Hershel, you say? Does your mother hate you, giving you a name like that? It sounds like a species of crab! I'm Paul!" he said, part mimicking Hershel's accent, which, in all honesty, was not so different to his own.

"Paul what, may I ask?"

"I'm sorry?" he gasped, "I'm Paul. That's it - all you need to know about me in two words. Why d'you posh sort insist on knowing everybody's second name?"

Hershel stayed silent and got back to his revision, while Paul smoked next to him. The smell of the smoke was bitter and murky, and got down his throat when he breathed in, but he tried not to cough, as he didn't want Paul poking fun at him again.

"Look at them all" started Paul, looking at the boys running around the field, "Taking their orders from that idiot of a teacher...he has no authority over them, but they don't know that." he shot Hershel a proud-of-himself look as he took another puff on the cigarette, blowing the smoke into the increasingly thick air around him. "That's why I'm not taking part in that show of weakness. I'm better than the sort of person who'll listen to somebody simply because they're older than me and have a degree."

"Hmm." hummed Hershel, secretly willing that Paul would leave. He felt suddenly intimidated by him after listening to his speech about how teachers were no better than him, and the smoke in the air was beginning to really get to him.

"What's your reason?" Paul asked, smiling deviously. "For cutting class, I mean."

Hershel shook his head. "I haven't cut class. I have a free lesson - I'm an 11th year like you. I skipped Year 10." As Paul laughed, Hershel suddenly realised the stupidness of declaring this fact to somebody who hates people thinking they're clever.

"Oh, great!" replied Paul. "A smart arse. Exactly what I need. And not just any smart arse - a smart arse who's younger than me!"

Neither of them spoke for a while after that. Pigeons squarked overhead, and there was the occasional sound of the PE teachers whistle blowing - then, around four minutes later, Paul gently kicked Hershel's shoulder, sending his pen marking a thick line of ink over the page - not that Hershel was going to stand up for himself to this guy...he didn't stand a chance, did he? He then noticed the reason for Paul trying to get his attention - a girl, a girl whom he had seen barley three times before that day, walking past them, carrying a pile of schoolbooks, clearly with the same plan of studying outside for a while in the new spring sun.

"Look at her." said Paul, smiling. "You know her?"

Hershel nodded. "She's in one of my classes, I expect. Why?"

Paul didn't answer. "Hey!" he shouted to the girl. "Claire! Over here!" The girl walked over to them, being careful not to drop her books.

"Oh, hello, Paul!" she said, removing her metal-framed reading glasses. "How are you?"

"I'm alright. This is...uuh...wots-his-name...Hershel!"

Hershel sighed - the rudeness and audacity of this boy astonished him, even if he wouldn't say so. Claire shook Hershel's hand.

"Pleased to meet you, Hershel! I'm Claire Harper!" she chirped. She looked up at Paul, who was still engrossed in his smoking."I do wish you wouldn't do that, Paul! It isn't healthy!"

"Claire!" he said "Don't tell me what to do, _sweetie. _I guaruntee I know more about my own health than you do!"

She laughed - Hershel was suprised how somebody could take such a patronising thing so well. "You know a lot more about being chauvanist, you mean. Don't be so sexist - just because I'm a girl, it doesn't make you any smarter than me!" she said, smiling.

They both laughed, as Hershel looked at them, confusedly. This Claire was obviously very laid back to take what Paul was saying so well, but he also thought she didn't deserve to be spoken to in such a manner, anyway - maybe she was used to Paul speaking to her that way and it just didn't suprise her any longer, which, in any case, is a sad fact in itself...

"Anyhow, I'd better be going if I want to study well for the exam next month!" she said, chirpily. "I'll see you later, Paul!"

She smiled at him, and he smiled back - then she smiled at Hershel.

"It was nice meeting you, Hershel!"

He nodded and smiled - even having only known her a minute, he could tell she was a nice person, and he longed to get to know Claire a bit more.

"It was nice meeting you too, Claire!"

"Will I meet you again?"

"I hope so!"

"Well, I'll say goodbye to you both for now!" she said, as she waved before walking away towards the school building across the field. The more immature boys in the PE class jeered to her as she went, but Hershel saw she took no notice - she seemed too open-minded. Almost forgiving, in fact. Paul threw the cigarette on the ground next to Hershel and crushed it under his boot.

"You like her? You think she's pretty?" he said. There was an air of anger in his tone of voice that discouraged Hershel from even attempting to answer the questions honestly, as he could tell that his honest opinion of the girl was not the sort Paul wanted to hear - unfortunatley, he seemed to have guessed his answer anyway.

"Just...don't move in on her, alright? I have my own sights set on her. Not that she'd be into a scrawny thing like you, but still - keep your distance. Understood?"

Hershel gulped and nodded, but wisely avoided looking up from his work...

"Y-yes..."

"Good."

...And the boy walked away. But for some reason, Hershel Layton knew that would not be the last time he would meet Paul - and he sensed that the next time he met him, he wouldn't be so 'friendly'...

...and, of course, Hershel was usually right about things like that - he was a 'smart arse', after all.

**Thank you! :) Apologies for the sad excuse of a last line - I wasn't sure how to end this one! Please leave a review! :D **

**I may continue this as a multi-chapter - please tell me if you think that's a good idea or if it should be left as a one-shot :)**


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